cracked a joke. What on earth is the world coming to?”
Ethan popped him with a towel. “Cut the smart-ass attitude, big brother. I can still kick your scrawny ass.”
Sam actually smiled. Then without warning he grabbed Ethan in a big bear hug and pounded him on the back. “It’s damn good to have you back, little brother.”
“Cut the mushy shit out,” Ethan grumbled as he pulled away.
“You girls having a love fest back here?” Donovan asked.
Ethan and Sam turned to see Donovan and Garrett standing in the doorway, amused grins plastered on their faces.
Sam flipped them both off. “Get cleaned up before Maren tosses your smelly carcasses out of her clinic. Ethan and I will check in on the others while we’re waiting for Maren to finish with Rachel.”
Ethan stepped into Cole’s room to find his teammate lying awkwardly on the too-small table, his eyes closed and forehead creased with tension.
“Hey man,” Ethan said quietly.
Cole opened his eyes and stared back at him. “Rachel?”
“Nothing yet. Dr. Scofield is examining her. Wanted to see how you were feeling.”
“I’ve been better. I’ve been worse. Nothing I won’t get over with the help of some good drugs,” he offered wryly.
Ethan hesitated and swallowed uncomfortably.
“Something wrong?” Cole asked.
“I just wanted to say thanks. You risked your life to save Rachel. I can’t ever repay that. Having her back . . . Just thanks. I appreciate it.”
Cole made a rude noise. “Just don’t holler that Semper Fi shit and we’ll call it even.”
Ethan gave him a mock look of horror. “Hooyah, baby. Hooyah.”
Cole grinned. “Right on, brother. Right on.”
Then he lay back and groaned. “If those fuckheads had better aim, this would have been a clean through-and-through.”
“Yeah, well, if they had better aim, your brains would be splattered over the Colombian jungle,” Ethan said dryly.
Cole closed his eyes wearily. “There is that.”
“I’m going to get out of here. I’ll go look in on Dolphin and Steele.”
Cole opened his eyes again and lifted his head. “Save your breath with Steele, man. And for God’s sake don’t thank him. It’ll just piss him off.”
Ethan chuckled. “I’ll remember that. Try and get some rest. Doc’ll be in shortly.”
“You take care of that girl of yours. You’re a damn lucky man. Not everyone gets a second chance.”
“Yeah,” Ethan said soberly. “I am lucky.”
He turned and walked out, his shoulders tight, his chest even tighter. A door down, he poked his head into Dolphin’s room, only to see Baker and Renshaw crowded in. He nodded at Dolphin and continued on.
Steele sat up on the exam table, his expression brooding. He connected glances with Ethan and gave a quick, dismissive nod. Ethan took the hint and walked on to the small reception area where Sam sat. He slouched into one of the tiny, uncomfortable chairs and closed his eyes.
The next thing he knew, Sam nudged him awake. He blinked rapidly as Dr. Scofield’s face came into view.
“Ethan,” she said softly. “Can you come with me?”
He scrambled up, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes as he followed the doctor toward the exam room. Anxiety made him jumpy, and he rubbed damp palms down his fatigues. When they bypassed Rachel’s room, he shot an inquiring look at the doctor.
“I thought we’d talk in my office,” she said as she opened the door and stepped inside. “Such as it is.” Her arm swept over the room that more resembled a closet.
Papers were piled on every exposed surface and boxes lined the walls on either side of her desk.
She shoved a pile of envelopes off the chair in front and extended a hand for him to sit. Then she walked around to the other side and sat down.
No longer able to stand the suspense, he blurted, “How is she?”
“She’s okay physically. There is some bruising around her shoulder, but it wasn’t dislocated. It’ll be sore and stiff for a few days, but she should regain full use of it.”
She took off her glasses and ran a hand through her shoulder-length blond hair. “There’s a lot you’re going to have to deal with. I won’t candy-coat that for you. She’s undernourished and fighting off infection. In short, she’s run down and is going to need a while to recover properly.”
“Did they hurt her?” Ethan asked quietly. “I mean physically?”
Her face twisted in sympathy. “I didn’t find any recent evidence of sexual trauma. She was in captivity a long time, so it’s impossible to say what she may have endured early on. I drew blood, and I’ll